By Miguel Rivera
BoxingScene.com reported on Friday, that the World Boxing Council (WBC) will explore the possibility of creating a new division - by splitting the heavyweight division in two - heavyweight and super heavyweight.
The WBC will conduct a six month long study on the matter, to determine if they will move forward with a new weight division.
A high number of fans were not in favor of this planned move and they believe the WBC will do more harm than good to the sport of boxing.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman admits that he expected a lot of resistance to this potential move, but says he won't be affected by any negative comments because the move, should it happen, is for the health of the fighters.
He realizes that even historians, the media, and even past and present fighters will go against a possible new weight class - because splitting the heavyweight division in two will create issues with past, present and future records and statistics.
"It is a change, that if it happens, it's going to have a lot of resistance - because you are going against history, all of the records, statistics, how they would be perceived - but all of that will always be secondary, because what matters is the security and the physical health of the fighter," Sulaiman said.
"The reality is that obviously there are fights where the physical difference [in weight] becomes dangerous. In the cruiserweight division, the limit is 200 pounds and then there is no limit."
"Recently the weight of the champions [at heavyweight] is 250 or 260 pounds and they fought with opponents who are about 205-210. I want to ask [the WBC's medical team] to do research on the side of medicine to collect data. We will conduct a weight study and perhaps establish the new division. We want boxers to be in the best position to protect their health."
Sulaiman's idea is still flawed. Because a fighter can weigh 250 and still face an opponent like a Nikolai Valuev who was over 300 pounds - which still would create a 50 pound or more weight difference.
David Haye weighed 217 pounds when he challenged Valuev, who weighed 316, for the WBA title. Even with a 99 pound weight difference, Haye not only won but he came close to stopping Valuev in the final round.
Haye was also 210 when he scored knockouts over Audley Harrison at 253 and Dereck Chisora at 247.
